response.restoration.noaa.gov - Marine Debrishttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/marine-debris
enMinds Behind OR&R: Meet Marine Debris Program Gulf of Mexico Regional Coordinator Caitlin Wesselhttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/minds-behind-orr-meet-marine-debris-program-gulf-mexico-regional-coordinator-caitlin-wessel
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>This feature is part of a monthly series profiling scientists and technicians who provide exemplary contributions to the mission of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&amp;R). This month’s featured scientist is Caitlin Wessel, OR&amp;R Marine Debris Program regional coordinator for the Gulf of Mexico.</em></p>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/%5Buid%5D/unnamed%20%281%29_2.jpg" width="512" height="342" alt="A woman bends down on a beach to put small plastics items into a plastic bag." title="Collecting pre-production plastic pellets, otherwise known as nurdles, from a beach in Coastal Texas. Image credit: Jace Tunnell." /> <div class="node-image-caption">
Collecting pre-production plastic pellets, otherwise known as nurdles, from a beach in Coastal Texas. Image credit: Jace Tunnell. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-text-1 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>By Jennifer Simms, OR&amp;R’s Marine Debris Program</strong></p>
<p>Originally from Mars, Pennsylvania, Caitlin grew up hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and snowmobiling throughout the Appalachian Mountains and among the three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio) that meet in Pittsburgh. In the summers, her mom would take her and her younger brother on extended beach trips to either the Outer Banks, North Carolina or St. Augustine, Florida where Caitlin spent as much time in the water as possible.</p>
<p>It was during her first sampling trip out to the Chandeleur Islands in Louisiana that Caitlin Wessel was struck by the pervasiveness of marine debris and the enormity of the issue. The Chandeleur Islands are part of the <a href="https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Breton/">Breton National Wildlife Refuge</a>, and are known for their pristine, natural environment. Yet as Caitlin collected and sieved seagrass cores, she and other researchers kept having to stop and pull out pieces of plastic. Astonished and a little dismayed, she wondered how marine debris was impacting other areas of the Gulf of Mexico if this remote, uninhabited island chain had plastic intertwined in much of the seagrass beds. </p>
<p>This experience launched Caitlin on a marine debris focused research and career path, and led her to her role as the Gulf of Mexico regional coordinator for OR&amp;R’s Marine Debris Program. Her region includes Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. She’s based in coastal Alabama, where she has lived for seven years. Since 2016, Caitlin has worked with partners to address marine debris issues, implement prevention and removal projects, assist with disaster preparedness, and foster collaboration across the region.</p>
<p>What Caitlin enjoys most about working on the Gulf Coast, besides sweet tea and cheese grits, is the community. </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-2 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>“They live and work on the water, and realize we all need to do our part to protect it,” Caitlin said. “It’s rewarding to work directly with partners to understand their needs and how we can work together to reduce marine debris issues.”</p>
<p>In one instance, Mississippi shrimpers were pulling up derelict crab traps that were getting caught in their trawls. Not only were these derelict crab traps catching (and killing) crabs and other non-targeted species, the traps were also damaging the shrimpers’ nets and reducing their catch, leading to an economic hardship they couldn’t afford. Collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program, Mississippi State University Extension Service, and two organizations representing the shrimpers, Caitlin worked with the team to develop a program that allows shrimpers to turn in derelict crab traps to be recycled and track how the traps impact them economically. </p>
<p>Caitlin also appreciates the variety of partners she gets to work with. Each spring she works with the <a href="https://www.outdooralabama.com/lands/weeks-bay-reserve">Weeks Bay National Estuary Research Reserve</a> to bring marine debris information, lessons, and projects to educators attending the <a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/estuaries/teachers-on-the-estuary/">Teachers on the Estuary</a> (TOTE) workshop. </p>
<p>“Working directly with teachers is incredibly rewarding and a great way to get accurate information to students whose actions will be the key to reducing and preventing marine debris now and in the future,” Caitlin said. </p>
<p>While a good portion of her job keeps her in the office, Caitlin jumps at the opportunity to get out in the field when possible. She has participated in crab trap cleanups from Florida to Louisiana, recorded debris during shoreline surveys, collected data on research cruises with NOAA Fisheries, deployed to the Joint Field Office in Texas after Hurricane Harvey, and helped build and mount new monofilament recycling bins in Galveston, Texas. </p>
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Diving off the coast of Belize. Image credit: Caitlin Wessel. </div>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/%5Buid%5D/Caitlin%20on%20the%20NOAA%20ship%20Gordon%20Gunter%20conducting%20plankton%20tows%20to%20collect%20microplastic%20samples.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="A woman leans over the side of the boat with a large hose, spraying down a long, white mesh net." title="Caitlin on the NOAA ship Gordon Gunter conducting plankton tows to collect microplastic samples. Image courtesy of Caitlin Wessel." /> <div class="node-image-caption">
Caitlin on the NOAA ship Gordon Gunter conducting plankton tows to collect microplastic samples. Image courtesy of Caitlin Wessel. </div>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Minds Behind OR&amp;R: Meet Caitlin Wessel</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-3 field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Text 3:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The most challenging part of her job is time management, Caitlin said, adding that “marine debris is a big issue with a lot of different components. I want to collaborate on all the different projects, attend all the marine debris related meetings, and help as much as I can, but in the end there is only so much time in a day, week, and year.” </p>
<p>Caitlin believes marine debris is such a popular topic right now because, “it’s easy for people to see the issue and appreciate the small changes you and I can make in our daily lives to help. It’s not an abstract issue; if you go to the local beach you can see marine debris”. </p>
<p>While working full-time as the Gulf of Mexico regional coordinator, Cailtin is also working on her doctoral thesis. Her dissertation is on “Marine Debris in the Northern Gulf of Mexico,” and she has published some of the first research on marine debris to come out of the region. This research includes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479717311210?via%3Dihub">quantifying tiny microplastics</a> (measuring as small as 15 micrometers) and their impacts to the eastern oyster, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.12.023">rapidly assessing derelict vessels effects on coastal resources</a>, and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Caitlin_Wessel/publication/321275636_An_evaluative_tool_for_rapid_assessment_of_derelict_vessel_effects_on_coastal_resources/links/5a1837aaaca272df080a7879/An-evaluative-tool-for-rapid-assessment-of-derelict-vessel-effects-on-coastal-resources.pdf">identifying accumulation rates of shoreline debris</a>. This fall, Caitlin will defend her dissertation and graduate from the University of South Alabama’s marine science program, and she looks forward to having more free time. </p>
<p>In her free time, you will find Caitlin kayaking, diving and spearfishing in the Gulf, hiking with her dogs Cooper and Darwin, grilling, and reading. Caitlin and her partner Grant just built a new house, which is walking distance to the Gulf of Mexico. She enjoys taking advantage of the natural recreation and white sand beaches Alabama has to offer, and spends many weekends working on their new house.</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 09 Sep 2019 18:34:36 +0000alyssa.dillon3339 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govMinds Behind OR&R: Meet California’s Marine Debris Regional Coordinator Sherry Lippiatthttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/minds-behind-orr-meet-california-s-marine-debris-regional-coordinator-sherry-lippiatt
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>This feature is part of a monthly series profiling scientists and technicians who provide exemplary contributions to the mission of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&amp;R). This month’s featured scientist is Sherry Lippiatt, the California regional coordinator for OR&amp;R’s Marine Debris Program.</em></p>
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Scuba diving off Half Moon Caye, Belize. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-text-1 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Sherry Lippiatt works for OR&amp;R’s <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">Marine Debris Program</a> as the regional coordinator for California, though her love for science and the environment first began on the East Coast. The daughter of a federal economist and a small business owner, Sherry was raised in Maryland not far from Silver Spring where NOAA is headquartered.</p>
<p>Sherry said that annual family trips to the coast every summer were some of her favorite memories growing up, but that she remembers the amount of trash in some areas, particularly the marinas, was staggering at times.</p>
<p>“I was always really curious about the environment in general. We [my family] did a lot of camping and skiing, and my parents always had a boat on the Potomac River,” Sherry said. “In hindsight, the river was probably pretty polluted, and I was just old enough to notice it. So that likely had an influence on me wanting to go into environmental science and helping to conserve our natural resources.”</p>
<p>In high school, Sherry showed an aptitude for math and science and in her junior year received the Rensselaer Medal — an award that comes with a substantial scholarship to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. While working toward her undergraduate degree in environmental science, she landed a summer research internship at the University of Hawaii, helping a master’s student with a marine geology project. The internship was her first exposure to oceanography.</p>
<p>“The vastness of the ocean and how, even relative to outer space, it’s not that well understood, it really piqued my interest,” Sherry said.</p>
<p>After graduating, Sherry wanted to escape the cold of New York and continue pursuing her interest in the ocean. She searched up and down the West Coast for a graduate program, and made the move to California where she received a doctorate in ocean science from the University of California, Santa Cruz.</p>
<p>Throughout her studies in California, Sherry had the opportunity to go on a number of different research cruises, spending up to six weeks at a time at sea. Though the work was hard, Sherry said it was also rewarding. She enjoyed the research and the experience, but after graduating decided to look outside the world of academia for the right career fit.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-2 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>“[After graduating] I really was looking for something more applied where I could see the direct relevance. While working on my dissertation, I was looking at the bioavailability of iron to phytoplankton in the Gulf of Alaska. In the end it came down to one number that went into someone else’s climate model,” Sherry said.</p>
<p>In 2010, Sherry discovered that OR&amp;R’s Marine Debris Program was looking for a Sea Grant Knauss fellow. With her background in ocean science and marine chemistry, she was the perfect fit.</p>
<p>After her fellowship had ended, the timing was right for Sherry to stay on with the Marine Debris Program as a contractor through I.M. Systems Group in Silver Spring to provide scientific support. In 2011, the West Coast region was overseen by Nir Barnea, based in Seattle. When the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan that year — sending debris across the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. and other parts of North America — the region had more work than one person alone could manage. A separate region for California was created and Sherry became the first regional coordinator for California in 2012.</p>
<p>What Sherry enjoys most about working in California is the variety that it offers. She works with the program’s removal and prevention grantees, and also works closely with a diversity of partners on the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/regional-action-plan/california-ocean-litter-prevention-strategy">California Ocean Litter Prevention Strategy</a>.</p>
<p>Sherry feels fortunate to live and work in a state that has so much policy attention to the issue of marine debris.</p>
<p>“We now have a statewide bag ban, straws are available only on request at restaurants, and we have a statewide trash policy for stormwater systems. There’s a lot of legislation focused on reducing and addressing marine debris, which has created a lot of action in research and removal,” Sherry said. “I really appreciate being able to work in a region where there’s so much public interest and willingness to tackle the issue.”</p>
<p>She also leads the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/research/monitoring-toolbox">Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project</a>, a science initiative that engages NOAA partners and volunteers across the nation to survey and record the amount and types of marine debris on shorelines. Launched in 2012, the project participants have contributed data from 4,827 surveys across 375 shoreline sites in 20 U.S. states and nine different countries, as of March 2019.</p>
<blockquote><p>“In the shoreline monitoring component, I really have grown and developed a huge appreciation for the value of citizen science and involving the community in data collection that helps participants feel more connected to the issue and their local environment. There’s a lot of conservation impact in having volunteers out on the shoreline, and they take it back to their daily lives in knowing how to reduce their own waste,” she said.</p>
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Sherry Lippiatt doing monitoring in Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Image credit: NOAA. </div>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/%5Buid%5D/20180804_160750.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="A woman with a large backpack on a hilly shoreline area. " title="Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California: removing debris as part of a MDP-funded removal project led by California State University Channel Islands. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt." /> <div class="node-image-caption">
Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California: removing debris as part of a MDP-funded removal project led by California State University Channel Islands. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt. </div>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Minds Behind OR&amp;R: Meet Sherry Lippiatt</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-3 field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Text 3:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Sherry’s favorite part about her job is the variety of projects and partners she gets to work with, particularly the citizen scientists, restaurants, business owners, and just everyday people from a variety of backgrounds who are helping to make a difference.</p>
<p>“Doing site visits with the grantees and being able to see the work is also an amazing part about this role. Last summer in August I got to go out to a site visit in the Channel Islands for a couple days, staying on the islands and getting to hike out to these areas where they are actively doing marine debris removal was an amazing experience.”</p>
<p>The most challenging part of her job, Sherry says, is having to say no sometimes.</p>
<p>“We get a lot of requests, so it’s just a capacity thing. You want to do all these projects, go to all these meetings, help as much as you can, and having to say no is really hard,” she said.</p>
<p>Sherry said that looking to the future of marine debris, she thinks the focus will continue to be on “turning off the tap and focusing on addressing the issue at the source.”</p>
<p>“I think as our understanding of the issue and the impacts that debris is having grows, as the research moves forward, it will lend itself toward more targeted prevention efforts,” she said.</p>
<p>In her free time, Sherry enjoys skiing, going to Lake Tahoe in the winter, surfing in the cold Pacific waters, yoga, and tennis. She enjoys taking advantage of the natural recreation California has to offer, as well as visiting her immediate family who have joined her in relocating from Maryland to California.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-gallery-images field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Gallery Images:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/20170720_Chincoteague_NOAA_Monitoring_237%20%281%29.jpg" width="1600" height="1067" alt="A woman on a beach holding a clipboard and a wheeled-instrument. " title="Sherry Lippiatt doing monitoring in Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Image credit: NOAA." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/20171203_093942.jpg" width="1467" height="1100" alt="A woman next to a Chinese flag with water and an industrial shoreline in the background. " title="Port of Xiamen, China as part of a State-Department Delegation for the US-China Marine Litter Partner Cities program. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/IMG_0233.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="A woman holding up a plastic bag that says &quot;lend a hand or eight&quot; with a body of water and an industrial shoreline in the background." title="Middle Harbor, Oakland, California Coastal Cleanup Day September 2016. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/20190108_102127_0.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="A woman in ski gear with a snowy mountain in the background." title="Skiing at Sugar Bowl near Lake Tahoe, California. Image courtesy of Sherry Lippiatt." /></div></div></div>Tue, 21 May 2019 22:29:10 +0000alyssa.dillon3201 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govDerelict and Dangerous: When Vessels Become Marine Debrishttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/derelict-and-dangerous-when-vessels-become-marine-debris
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>When thinking about marine debris, you may picture trash in the ocean — plastic bottles, food wrappers, bags, and other everyday and single-use items that we come into contact with in our everyday life. However, the marine debris problem is much bigger than just our trash, especially when it comes to abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs).</p>
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A derelict vessel partially submerged in Coral Bay, St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Image credit: Coral Bay Community Council. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-text-1 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Ranging from small dingeys to large fishing vessels with steel hulls, ADVs are a common problem throughout the country, and around the world. Once lost or abandoned, ADVs can be a dangerous and damaging problem, destroying habitat, leaking pollutants into the surrounding environment, and can even be dangerous to other boaters if a vessel is difficult to see below the water, or is in a navigation channel. Vessels can become derelict in a variety of ways, such as being abandoned by their owner, or transported and damaged during a severe storm. Unfortunately, this type of debris can be extremely difficult and costly to remove, which means ADVs often sit for long periods of time and can be hard to address.</p>
<p>The Office of Response and Restoration’s <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">Marine Debris Program</a> (MDP) funds multiple projects that help take on the challenge of removing and preventing ADVs in the United States and Pacific Islands. In Alabama, ADVs are not only ugly, but they can crush native marsh grasses and disrupt important aquatic habitats. That’s why the Weeks Bay Foundation and Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), with support from the MDP, are <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/removal/removing-derelict-vessels-and-marine-debris-weeks-bay-and-its-tributaries">working to remove several abandoned boats</a> and pieces of large marine debris from Weeks Bay and its main tributaries. The project will also include a “Derelict is Dangerous” campaign to educate the local community and help Gulf Coast residents better understand their responsibilities as boat owners, the maritime laws surrounding abandoned boats, how to prepare for storm events, and how to report derelict vessels.</p>
<p>In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Coastal Research and Planning is teaming up with the MDP to <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/removal/removal-derelict-fishing-vessel-saipan-lagoon">remove the derelict F/V Lady Carolina</a> from the waters of the Saipan Lagoon. This large 83-foot, 54-ton, steel-hulled fishing vessel broke free from its mooring during the devastating passing of Category 4 Typhoon Soudelor in August 2015, and has been grounded in Saipan’s ship channel. Removing the vessel will not only rid this popular recreational area of an eyesore, but will prevent further environmental impacts to coral reefs and endangered species, and give the surrounding community closure from the typhoon.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-2 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>During the 2017 hurricane season, the Caribbean, southeast, and Texas experienced severe damage to communities and the environment. The destruction from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria brought large amounts of debris from homes, fishing gear, and vessels. With financial support from the MDP, coastal states and territories impacted by these hurricanes received $17.2M in disaster relief funding to <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/emergency-response/hurricanes-harvey-irma-and-maria">assess, remove, and dispose of hurricane-related marine debris</a>. In South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, this funding will go toward the removal of hundreds of ADVs that were displaced during the hurricanes, as well as derelict fishing gear, damaged piers, cars, parts of homes, and more.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there are only so many ADVs the MDP and our partners can take on. Additionally, understanding the laws and policies surrounding ADVs can be difficult when rules change from state to state. That’s why the MDP created the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/discover-issue/types-and-sources/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels">ADV InfoHub</a>, which provides a central source of information on legislation, funding, contact information and ADV programs, as well as publications, case studies, and legal reviews. The MDP also helps states prepare for storms so they can better prevent and respond to ADVs through the creation of <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/emergency-response/marine-debris-emergency-response-guides">Marine Debris Emergency Response Guides</a>. These documents outline the existing response structures at the local, state, and federal level to facilitate a coordinated, well-managed, and immediate response to storm debris, including vessels.</p>
<p>Do you own a boat? If so, you can help keep your vessel from becoming derelict! Boat owners should keep their registration current, purchase insurance, perform regular maintenance, and create an end-of-life plan for vessels. This plan may include:</p>
<ul><li>Proper disposal of hazardous materials</li>
<li>Recycling valuable parts and metals</li>
<li>Bringing the vessel to a salvage shop or landfill for recycling and disposal</li>
<li>Researching whether your state has a voluntary vessel turn-in / disposal program</li>
</ul><p>Using these tips, we can all work together to not only address ADVs, but prevent these dangerous and costly problems.</p>
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Derelict vessels in Key West, Florida following Hurricane Irma. Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Derelict and Dangerous: When Vessels Become Marine Debris</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/anatomy-abandoned-and-derelict-vessels" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">The Anatomy of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-gallery-images field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Gallery Images:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/Boot%20Key%20Harbor.jpg" width="4160" height="3120" alt="Several sinking, derelict vessels along a shoreline." title="Derelict vessels in Boot Key Harbor following Hurricane Irma. Image credit: NOAA." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/LadyCarolina_T.Willsey.jpg" width="2048" height="1536" alt="A group of people on paddleboards with an overturned, grounded vessel behind them." title="The large fishing vessel, Lady Carolina, is grounded in a lagoonal reef off the coast of Saipan. Image credit: T. Willsey." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/Weeks%20Bay%20NERR%20Vessel.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="A damaged derelict vessel grounded on a shoreline." title="Abandoned and derelict vessels like this one are a hazard in the Weeks Bay estuary, and crush sensitive marsh habitat. Image credit: Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve ." /></div></div></div>Tue, 21 May 2019 22:17:15 +0000alyssa.dillon3200 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govHow Marine Debris is Impacting Marine Animalshttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/how-marine-debris-impacting-marine-animals.html
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>And What You Can do About it</em></p>
<p>Aug. 9, 2017 - Marine debris is one of the most widespread pollution problems facing our ocean and waterways today. This issue of solid, man-made materials in the ocean or Great Lakes is a global one that leaves no part of the world untouched by debris and its impacts.</p>
<p>These negative effects impact people on a daily basis, from economic losses to potential health hazards, but can impact marine animals most severely. Animals are impacted by marine debris in a variety of ways, including:</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/occurrence-and-health-effects-anthropogenic-debris-ingested-marine-organisms">Ingestion</a></strong>. Marine debris can be ingested by animals that either mistake it for food or accidentally consume it along with their meal. This can create a lot of problems, ranging from mild discomfort to a dangerous blockage. Debris can fill up stomachs, causing an animal to feel full while depriving it of the nutritious meal it needs. In these cases, animals may starve with a full stomach.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/entanglement-marine-species-marine-debris-emphasis-species-united-states">Entanglement</a></strong>. Animals may become tangled up in marine debris and unable to free themselves. This can affect the animal in a variety of ways, ranging from mild discomfort to seriously impacting the animal’s ability to survive. Entangled animals may get abrasions from the debris, resulting in a dangerous infection. If movement is restricted, animals may not be able to feed and air-breathing fauna may drown if entangled underwater.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/reports/marine-debris-impacts-coastal-and-benthic-habitats">Habitat damage</a></strong>. Marine debris can also harm animals indirectly by impacting their habitat. Large or heavy debris may damage or smother sensitive habitats, such as coral reefs and sea grass.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/reports/marine-debris-potential-pathway-invasive-species">Non-native species</a></strong>. Non-native species may hitch a ride on marine debris from one region to another. This might sound like a convenient way to travel, but if these introduced species become invasive, they can wreak havoc on an ecosystem by depleting food sources or destroying habitat. Thankfully, there is hope! Although debris is a big problem that has many negative impacts, it is also a completely preventable problem that we have the power to address.</p>
<p>The NOAA Marine Debris Program has <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/reports/marine-debris-potential-pathway-invasive-species">many efforts underway</a> to prevent and remove marine debris in order to reduce these harmful effects, coordinating with partners on local solutions to this global issue. Many other organizations are stepping up to do their part to address debris, from reducing their distribution of unnecessary single-use plastics to involving the community in caring for their local area.</p>
<p>You can get involved, too! Evaluate your habits and change those that may contribute to marine debris. Follow the “3Rs” and reduce, reuse, and recycle. An additional “R” to keep in mind is to refuse items you don’t need, like a plastic straw in your water glass. Spread the word to your family and friends so they can participate, too. If you’d like to get more involved, join a cleanup in your area (subscribe to our <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/our-work/marine-debris-news">e-newsletter</a> for a list of cleanups each month) or start one yourself and use the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/partnerships/marine-debris-tracker">Marine Debris Tracker app</a> to record your finds. Working together, we can make a big difference in the fight against marine debris. </p>
<p>To learn more about the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s efforts to remove and prevent marine debris, head to <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">marinedebris.noaa.gov</a>.</p>
<p>Read more stories in our series on the effects of pollutants on wildlife:</p>
<ul><li><a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/tba-wildlife-one.html">How to Locate Wildlife Threatened During Oil Spills</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/legacy-industry-and-toxins-northern-new-jersey-striped-bass-and-blue-crab.html">A Legacy of Industry and Toxins in Northern New Jersey: Striped Bass and Blue Crab</a></li>
<li><a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oils-spills-and-animal-rescue-alaska-and-beyond">Oils Spills and Animal Rescue in Alaska and Beyond</a></li>
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Left: Animals can become entangled in marine debris, particularly in items such as derelict fishing lines and nets. Image credit: NOAA. Right: Sea turtles entangled in debris run the risk of drowning if they are prevented from reaching the surface to breathe. Image credit: NOAA. </div>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/27/bird%26turtle_CreditNOAA%26FWC.JPG" width="500" height="271" alt="Bird stomach, turtle with string. " title="Left: The contents of this bird’s stomach shows marine debris can block up an animal’s system. When plastic debris is ingested, it can make the animal feel full and robs them of getting the nutrients they need. Image Credit: NOAA. Right: This sea turtle was found after ingesting balloon debris, likely mistaking it for food. Image Credit: Blair Witherington, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission" /> <div class="node-image-caption">
Left: The contents of this bird’s stomach shows marine debris can block up an animal’s system. When plastic debris is ingested, it can make the animal feel full and robs them of getting the nutrients they need. Image Credit: NOAA. Right: This sea turtle was found after ingesting balloon debris, likely mistaking it for food. Image Credit: Blair Witherington, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission </div>
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Left: Debris can damage or smother sensitive habitats like coral reefs. Image credit: NOAA. Right: After six months of a derelict spiny lobster trap sitting on top of seagrass, the impact to this habitat can be readily observed. Image credit: NOAA. </div>
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<div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">How Marine Debris is Impacting Marine Animals</div></div></div>Tue, 18 Jul 2017 16:27:56 +0000annie.archer2424 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govMicroplastics on National Park Beacheshttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/microplastics-national-park-beaches.html
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>Guest post By: Stefanie Whitmire, Ph.D., Research Scientist at the Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology &amp; Forest Science, Clemson University</em> June 30, 2017 - Microplastics are plastic pieces measuring less than five millimeters in size and in recent decades, there have been many studies that indicate a strong presence of this type of debris in marine and coastal environments. Microplastics can come from a variety of sources. Some microplastics are manufactured at that small size as microbeads, found in products like toothpaste and facial scrubs, or pellets, which are used to make larger plastic items. Microfibers, another type of microplastic debris, come from synthetic items such as rope or clothing (like fleece). Microplastics also come from the breakdown of larger plastic pieces, such as water bottles and fishing line. Unfortunately, the presence of microplastics in the marine environment poses risks to wildlife. Microplastics ingested by animals can physically damage the digestive tract and potentially expose the animal to chemicals and contaminants associated with the microplastic particle. To investigate the number and distribution of microplastics on National Park beaches across the United States, researchers at Clemson University collaborated with the National Park Service to collect and analyze sand from 37 coastal National Parks. The study area included parks from the Northeast, Midwest (Great Lakes), West Coast, Alaska, and Pacific Islands. This collaborative effort, funded by the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/"> NOAA Marine Debris Program</a>, provided a unique opportunity to quantify microplastic loads from a wide geographic distribution of coastal beaches, capturing a snapshot of microplastics around the country at one moment in time. Most of the microplastics that were found in this study were in the form of fibers, but beads and plastic fragments were also observed (see microscope images below). The presence of microplastic debris was widespread and found at even the most remote areas, such as secluded parts of Alaska, but the highest recorded amounts of microplastics were at individual parks in the Great Lakes and the Pacific Islands. Interestingly, many sampled sites were far from urban centers but still had over 100 pieces of microplastics per kilogram of sand. This was observed in Alaska, along the northwest Pacific coastline, and the islands in the Pacific.</p>
<div style="float: left; margin: 8px;"><img alt=" Man kneeling on beach." height="267" src="../../sites/default/files/Sand_beach_AcadiaNP-ME980.jpg" title="National Park Service staff collect sand for microplastic and microfiber sampling at Acadia National Park, Maine." width="356" /><div align="left" style="width: 356px; font-style: italic; font-size: 0.8em;">National Park Service staff collect sand for microplastic and microfiber sampling at Acadia National Park, Maine. Image credit: NPS, Acadia National Park</div>
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<p>However, no clear patterns between quantity of microplastics and geographic features like urban centers or rivers were apparent. This was not completely unexpected given the wide geographic sampling and the numerous local factors that could influence microplastic abundance along these shorelines. For instance, beaches can capture microplastics from both open water bodies (the ocean or lakes) and riverine systems. Additionally, beaches are dynamic systems, with constant movement of sand and other particles like shells, glass, and plastic. Understanding the movement and turnover of microplastics in beach environments will help us clarify the exposure and risk to wildlife in the future. Overall, this project provided a snapshot of microplastics around the United States and emphasized the pervasive nature of this type of marine debris. <em>Check out the final report, <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/reports/quantification-microplastics-national-park-beaches"> Quantification of Microplastics on National Park Beaches</a>, for more information on this project. This guest post firs appeared on the Marine Debris Program’s blog, visit that blog to <a href="https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/quantifying-microplastics-national-park-beaches">read the complete post</a>.</em></p>
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National Park Service staff collect sand for microplastic and microfiber sampling at Cabrillo National Monument, California. Image credit: NPS, Cabrillo National Monument. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">9</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Microplastics on National Park Beaches</div></div></div>Thu, 29 Jun 2017 16:51:05 +0000annie.archer2392 at https://response.restoration.noaa.gov8 Ways to Keep the Earth Cleanhttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/8-ways-keep-earth-clean.html
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em>By: Amanda Laverty, Knauss fellow with <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">NOAA’s Marine Debris Program</a></em> April 18, 2017 - Here at the NOAA Marine Debris Program Earth Day is every day and we always are encouraging others to get involved and support efforts working toward a clean environment and healthy planet. Our oceans are filled with items that do not belong there. Huge amounts of consumer plastics, metals, rubber, paper, textiles, derelict fishing gear, vessels, and other lost or discarded items enter the marine environment every day, making marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the world's ocean and waterways.The ultimate solution to the problem lies with every single one of us—preventing marine debris in the first place. First, consider how you might personally contribute to marine debris and follow the “4Rs” whenever possible— Refuse unnecessary single-use items, like plastic straws or cutlery when possible; Reduce the amount of waste you produce by choosing products with less packaging; Reuse items when you can and choose reusable items over disposable ones; and Recycle as much as possible— bottles, cell phones, ink cartridges, and many other items can be recycled. Next, spread the word to others! Tell your family, friends, community, and more about this important issue and what they can do to help. Here are a few easy and effective ways you can choose to reduce your daily impact and make a world of difference:</p>
<ol><li><strong>Bring a bag.</strong> Remember to bring reusable bags to the grocery store or for any other shopping activities to reduce consumption of disposable bags.</li>
<li><strong>Invest in a reusable water bottle.</strong> Acquiring a reusable water bottle would not only greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic you use, but it would also save you money in the long run! If you’re concerned about the quality of your tap water, consider using a water filter.</li>
<li><strong>Bring your own reusable cup.</strong> Think about how many disposable cups are used every day in just your local coffee shop. Bringing a mug for your morning coffee can reduce the amount of waste you produce annually. Imagine how much waste we could reduce if we all made this simple daily change!</li>
<li><strong>Refuse single-use items.</strong> Take note on how often you rely on single-use items and choose to replace them with more sustainable versions. Refusing plastic straws and disposable cutlery when you go out and bringing your own containers for leftovers are a few ways you can start today.</li>
<li><strong>Avoid products with microbeads.</strong> Facial scrubs and beauty products containing plastic microbeads were banned in the United States in 2015, but won’t be fully phased out until 2019. Read the labels when purchasing products and opt for ones that contain natural scrubbing ingredients like salt or sugar.</li>
<li><strong>Shop in bulk.</strong> Consider the product-to-packaging ratio when purchasing items and choose larger containers instead of multiple smaller ones. When you have the option, also consider purchasing package-free foods and household goods.</li>
<li><strong>Make sure your waste goes to the right place.</strong> Do your best to ensure that the waste you dispose of ends up where it should. Recycle the materials that are recyclable in your area and make sure to reduce the likelihood of your garbage ending up in the environment by keeping a lid on your trash can when it’s outside.</li>
<li><strong>Compost.</strong> Composting at home reduces the volume of garbage sent to landfills and reduces the chance of some products becoming marine debris.</li>
</ol><p>These are just a few ways that we can incorporate taking care of our ocean nad Great lakes ito our everyday lives. By doing our part to work toward a sustainable and debris-free planet, we’ll also be providing others with inspiration and a good example to follow. As individuals we have the potential to make a big difference and together we can change the world.<em> Learn more about <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">NOAA’s Marine Debris Program</a> and its mission to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris.</em></p>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/27/marine_debris_hawaii980.jpg" width="500" height="360" alt="Litter on beach. Image credit: NOAA." title="Litter such as plastic detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, and water bottles blanket Kanapou Bay, on the Island of Kaho&#039;olawe in Hawaii. This region is a hot-spot for marine debris accumulation. Image credit: NOAA" /> <div class="node-image-caption">
Litter such as plastic detergent bottles, crates, buoys, combs, and water bottles blanket Kanapou Bay, on the Island of Kaho'olawe in Hawaii. This region is a hot-spot for marine debris accumulation. Image credit: NOAA </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">12</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">8 Ways to Keep the Earth Clean</div></div></div>Tue, 18 Apr 2017 15:30:37 +0000annie.archer2300 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govIs Marine Debris Spreading Invasive Species?https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/marine-debris-spreading-invasive-species.html
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>March 2, 2017 - If you ask a gardener what a weed is, the answer is likely to be any plant growing where they don’t want it. Invasive species, be they plant, animal, or insect, are much more harmful than an unwanted plant in a well-tended garden. Invasive species are interlopers that muscle out natives by out competing them for resources, like food and shelter. Left unchecked, the invaders can lead to the extinction of native plants and animals. In the marine environment, this can result in damaging local economies and fundamental disruptions of coastal and Great Lakes wildlife habits. Invasive species can <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/invasive.html">colonize a new area via</a> the ballast water of oceangoing ships, intentional and accidental releases of aquaculture species, aquarium specimens or bait, and marine debris. Growing concern about increasing amounts of marine debris in our oceans has led scientists to research the potential for invasive species to hitch rides on debris and carry them to new areas across the globe. NOAA’s Marine Debris Program has a new report exploring the subject. Read “<a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/reports/marine-debris-potential-pathway-invasive-species">Marine Debris as a Potential Pathway for Invasive Species</a>” for detailed information.</p>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/27/1_ORdockclose_OSU%20980.jpg" width="500" height="360" alt="Plant growing on cement wall." title="A close-up of marine life found on a derelict dock from Japan that washed up on Agate Beach in Newport, Oregon. Credit: Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center" /> <div class="node-image-caption">
A close-up of marine life found on a derelict dock from Japan that washed up on Agate Beach in Newport, Oregon. Credit: Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">5</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Is Marine Debris Spreading Invasive Species?</div></div></div>Wed, 01 Mar 2017 23:18:22 +0000annie.archer2234 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govDebunking the Myths about Garbage Patches https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/debunking-myths-about-garbage-patches.html
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Feb. 13, 2017 - Although most of us have heard the term “garbage patch” before, many may not have a full understanding of what the term really means. In recent years, there has been a lot of misinformation spread about garbage patches and so now, we are here to try to clear up some of these myths. First, what are garbage patches? Well, garbage patches are areas of increased concentration of marine debris that are formed from rotating ocean currents called gyres and although they may not be as famous as the “ Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” there are actually several garbage patches around the world! So let’s address some of the most common questions and misconceptions about garbage patches:</p>
<p><strong>Are garbage patches really islands of trash that you can actually walk on?</strong></p>
<p>Nope! Although garbage patches have higher amounts of marine debris, they’re not “islands of trash” and you definitely can’t walk on them. The debris in the garbage patches is constantly mixing and moving due to winds and ocean currents. This means that the debris is not settled in a layer at the surface of the water, but can be found from the surface, throughout the water column, and all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Not only that, the debris within the garbage patches is primarily microplastics, tiny plastic pieces less than five millimeters in size. Many of these microplastics are the result of larger plastic debris that has broken into small pieces from exposure to the sun, salt, wind, and waves. Others, such as microbeads from products like facewashes or microfibers from synthetic clothing, are already small in size when they enter the water. With such small debris items making up the majority of the garbage patches and the constant movement of this debris, it’s possible to sail through a garbage patch without even realizing it.</p>
<p><strong>The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the size of Texas and you can see it from space!</strong></p>
<p>Not so much. Since the garbage patches are constantly moving and mixing with winds and ocean currents, their size continuously changes. They can be very large, but since they’re made up primarily of microplastic debris, they definitely can’t be seen from space.</p>
<p><strong>Why don’t we just clean them up?</strong></p>
<p>Unfortunately, cleaning up the garbage patches is complicated. Since the debris making them up is not only constantly mixing and moving, but also extremely small in size, removing this debris is very difficult. We generally focus removal efforts on our shorelines and coastal areas, before debris has the chance to make it to the open ocean and before they have broken into microplastic pieces, which are inherently difficult to remove from the environment. However, preventing marine debris is the key to solving the problem. If you think about an overflowing sink, it’s obvious that the first step before cleaning up the water on the floor is to turn the faucet off—that’s prevention. By working to prevent marine debris through education and outreach, and each doing our part to reduce our contribution, we can stop this problem from growing.</p>
<p><strong>Want to learn more about the garbage patches?</strong></p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/">NOAA Marine Debris Program website</a> where you can find <a href="https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/info/patch.html">more information</a> as well as our <a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/emergency-response-division.html">Trash Talk video</a> on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Read more articles on myths and misconceptions in spill response: <strong><a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/rescuing-oiled-birds-leave-it-experts.html"> Rescuing Oiled Birds, Leave it to the Experts</a> <a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/clean-spilled-oil-all-costs-not-always.html">Clean up spilled oil at all costs? Not always</a> <a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/restoration-other-part-spill-response.html">Restoration: The Other Part of Spill Response</a></strong></p>
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You may have envisioned the garbage patches looking something like this, but that’s pretty far from the truth. (NOAA) </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">8</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Debunking the Myths about Garbage Patches </div></div></div>Wed, 08 Feb 2017 18:47:12 +0000annie.archer2207 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govAbandoned and Derelict Vesselshttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels
<div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Short title:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Abandoned and Derelict Vessels</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-1 field-type-image field-label-hidden">
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/13/grounded-rusted-hull-sailboat-in-elephant-bay-st-thomas_noaa_356.jpg" width="356" height="267" alt="A partially submerged, rusted-out sailboat." title="A partially submerged, rusted-out sailboat, which grounded and sank in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the late 1970s, is located about 15 feet from sensitive seagrass habitat. (NOAA)" /> <div class="node-image-caption">
A partially submerged, rusted-out sailboat, which grounded and sank in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the late 1970s, is located about 15 feet from sensitive seagrass habitat. (NOAA) </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">1</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Oil Spills</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-subtitle-4 field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>More Information about Shipwrecks and Abandoned Vessels</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-4 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/noaa-report-identifies-shipwrecks-potential-pollute.html">NOAA Report Identifies Shipwrecks with the Potential to Pollute</a>: Read the story behind the 2013 NOAA report identifying shipwrecks that could be leaking oil.</p>
<p><a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/when-boats-dont-float-historic-wrecks-abandoned-ships">Photo Gallery</a>: View a collection of photos highlighting some examples of the wrecked and abandoned ships dotting U.S. waters.</p>
<p><a href="http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels">Abandoned Vessels as Marine Debris</a>: Learn about the NOAA Marine Debris Program's efforts to deal with the abandoned and derelict vessels littering ports, waterways and estuaries all over the country.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-1 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Abandoned and derelict vessels are a problem for many U.S. harbors, bays, and shorelines. Sunken, stranded, and decrepit vessels can be an eyesore and become hazards to navigation.</p>
<p>At the same time, these vessels can pose significant threats to natural resources. They can physically destroy sensitive marine and coastal habitats, sink or move during coastal storms, disperse oil and toxic chemicals still on board, become a source of marine debris, and spread derelict nets and fishing gear that entangle and endanger marine life.</p>
<p><abbr title="Office of Response and Restoration">OR&amp;R</abbr> is working on the issue of abandoned and sunken vessels in a variety of ways, including:</p>
<ul><li>Research to address abandoned vessel issues, including legal obstacles.</li>
<li>Working with the National Response Team to document removal efforts and related best practices.</li>
<li>Producing guidance materials for state, territorial, and local governments.</li>
<li>Developing databases of information on potentially polluting shipwrecks and abandoned vessels.</li>
</ul><p>By documenting case histories and developing a national perspective on the problem, NOAA has been able to share successful policies and approaches for dealing with abandoned and derelict vessels.</p>
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Rusted debris from a grounded vessel sets on the beach and in the surf on the west shore of Aunuu Island, American Samoa. (NOAA) </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-subtitle-2 field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Past, Current, and Future Activities</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-2 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Over the past decade, OR&amp;R prioritized our limited funding to assist with vessel removals. We focused our activities on coral habitats in both the Pacific and Caribbean, where we performed surveys in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.</p>
<p>OR&amp;R is strengthening partnerships both within and outside of NOAA to address this issue. In 2009, NOAA held an Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Workshop for federal agencies and state managers, allowing them to identify common issues and share potential solutions. OR&amp;R is currently talking with states about how we can better support them on this important, common, and often costly issue. The NOAA Marine Debris Program has been working with state and local partners to help consolidate information which is available from the newly launched <strong><a href="http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/abandoned-and-derelict-vessels">Abandoned and Derelict Vessel (ADV) InfoHub</a></strong>.</p>
<p>This resource provides a central source of information regarding ADVs and the policies surrounding them. Users can access information for each coastal state, including details on legislation, funding, and information about available state ADV programs, as well as links to relevant publications, case studies, and legal reviews. This resource also provides information for the appropriate state agency to contact regarding abandoned vessels.</p>
<p>OR&amp;R also worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and other members of the National Response Team to develop a guidance document with:</p>
<ul><li>best practices used for responding to abandoned vessels;</li>
<li>the regulatory and policy authority of each agency with a nexus to abandoned vessels; and</li>
<li>the roles and responsibilities of each agency in accordance with those authorities.</li>
</ul><p><a href="https://nrt.org/Main/Resources.aspx?ResourceType=Abandoned%20Vessels&amp;ResourceSection=2">Read the report on authorities and best practices.</a></p>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/images/13/sunken-sailboat-lions-den-agana-boat-basin-guam-2002-03_noaa_356.jpg" width="356" height="267" alt="A steel sailboat sank on the sandy ocean bottom off Guam." title="A steel sailboat sank on the sandy bottom of Guam&#039;s Agana Boat Basin sometime between 2002 and 2003. (NOAA)" /> <div class="node-image-caption">
A steel sailboat sank on the sandy bottom of Guam's Agana Boat Basin sometime between 2002 and 2003. (NOAA) </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-subtitle-3 field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Sunken Shipwrecks</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-3 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>In addition to the challenge of abandoned and derelict vessels, NOAA is also conducting a risk assessment and prioritization of sunken wrecks in U.S. waters. NOAA maintains a large database of shipwrecks, dump sites, navigational obstructions, underwater archaeological sites, and other underwater cultural resources. The Resources and Undersea Threats database includes approximately 20,000 shipwrecks in U.S. waters.</p>
<p>In 2010, Congress tasked NOAA with identifying those potentially polluting shipwrecks in U.S. waters that would cause the greatest ecological and economical impacts. This project supports the U.S. Coast Guard and the Regional Response Teams as well as NOAA in prioritizing threats to coastal resources. At the same time, it helps establish the historical and anthropological significance of these nonrenewable cultural resources. This work is part of NOAA's Remediation of Underwater Legacy Environmental Threats (RULET) project.</p>
<p>NOAA scientists and archaeologists searched a broad variety of historical sources on wrecks in U.S. waters. Analyzing this data allowed them to develop a priority list of wrecks for further assessment. They worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team to corroborate the historical information gathered by NOAA with the salvage engineer perspective. In addition, NOAA worked with the private consulting firms Research Planning, Inc.; RPS ASA; and Environmental Research Consulting to assess the ecological and socio-economic resources at risk and conduct modeling of potential oil spills from the priority wrecks.</p>
<p>On May 20, 2013, NOAA released both an overall report describing this work as well as recommendations and 87 individual wreck assessments. The individual risk assessments highlight not only concerns about potential ecological and socio-economic impacts, but they also characterize most of the vessels as being historically significant.</p>
<p>Read the national report and the 87 risk assessments: <strong><a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/protect/ppw/">Potentially Polluting Wrecks in U.S. Waters</a></strong>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/anatomy-abandoned-and-derelict-vessels" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">The Anatomy of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels</a></div></div></div>Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:10:53 +0000ashley.braun636 at https://response.restoration.noaa.govOR&R Marine Debris Program Participates in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ocean and Fisheries Working Grouphttps://response.restoration.noaa.gov/orr-marine-debris-program-participates-asia-pacific-economic-cooperation-ocean-and-fisheries-working
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>SEPT. 3, 2019 — On Aug. 20-21, the Marine Debris Program’s international activities and partnership coordinator, Steve Morrison, served on the U.S. delegation at the 13th Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ocean and Fisheries Working Group (OFWG) in Puerto Varas, Chile</p>
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Delegates gather at the APEC Ocean and Fisheries Working Group meeting in Puerto Varas, Chile. Image credit: NOAA. </div>
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</div><div class="field field-name-field-text-1 field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>At the meeting, APEC Economies discussed ongoing and proposed projects of the OFWG, and negotiated a “roadmap” on marine debris to guide APEC’s focus on the issue for the upcoming years. Chile, as the host for APEC in 2019, identified this roadmap as a key possible deliverable for the APEC Leaders Meeting to be held in November, which is usually attended by heads of state for all APEC Economies. On Aug. 22, Steve also provided a presentation on marine plastic pollution at a workshop on “Understanding and Addressing Marine Debris in the APEC Region.” </p>
<p>For more information, contact <a href="mailto:Steve.Morrison@noaa.gov">Steve.Morrison@noaa.gov</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/orr-weekly-report">Return to OR&amp;R Weekly Report.</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-node-weight field-type-list-integer field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Node Weight:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">1</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-10 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">OR&amp;R Weekly:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/orr-weekly-report" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">OR&amp;R Weekly Report</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Site Themes:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/marine-debris" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Marine Debris</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-short-title field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">OR&amp;R Marine Debris Program Participates in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ocean and Fisheries Working Group</div></div></div>Mon, 02 Sep 2019 22:47:04 +0000alyssa.dillon3337 at https://response.restoration.noaa.gov